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Tonight's NXT was a total opposite from the week before, giving us nonstop action for the first hour of the show. In fact, besides a few promos, it was nothing but matches, something that we haven't seen from WWE since they began recording at the Performance Center.
This week, we continued to fill out the NXT Women's No.1 Contender Ladder match, with two competitors qualifying for the bout. We also heard from Keith Lee, wo we'd last seen mistakenly attacking Dominik Dijakovic.
At the end of the night, Triple H would also address the Johnny Gargano/Tommaso Ciampa situation.
We opened the show with the veteran Tyler Breeze taking on the blue-chipper Austin Theory. A few weeks back, Theory claimed that Breeze wasn't considered a star. Breeze was the one to get the upper hand when he stated that Theory was nothing but a flash in the pan. Tonight, Theory had the opportunity to prove one of the founding fathers of NXT wrong.
Austin Theory vs Tyler Breeze
Theory aimed to get in Breeze's head, hitting all of his iconic poses and taunts. A picture-perfect dropkick from Breeze brought Theory into the game, though. He avoided the Supermodel Kick and took Breeze down with the rolling blockbuster.
The 22-year-old berated Breeze for being an old man in a young man's game while trapping him in the middle of the ring with a rear chin lock. A slingshot dropkick sent Breeze to the floor as we cut to commercial break.
When we returned, Theory was on the receiving end of a beatdown from Breeze. However, he managed to catch Breeze coming off the turnbuckle, spinning him around for an argentine spin-out powerbomb. Breeze was taken to the outside where he was launched into the guardrail. With no fans sitting behind it, Breeze landed on the concrete floor.
Theory attempted to win by count-out, but Breeze rolled back in. Breeze countered a powerbomb with a hurricanrana and rocked the youngster with a quick knee to the jaw. Though he would be caught in a turnbuckle bomb, he was able to send Theory to the apron. Theory responded with a slingshot blockbuster attempt but was rocked with a Supermodel kick out of mid-air. Somehow he was able to kick out at two.
An enziguri dazed Theory and allowed Breeze to move up top. However, Theory knocked him off the ropes and hit an ushigoroshi that almost put Breeze away. Mr. All Day stomped out Breeze before grabbing Breeze's phone. He cut a promo on it, allowing Breeze to recover and connect with the Beauty Shot.
Results: Tyler Breeze defeated Austin Theory via pinfall.
Grade: A
Killian Dain returned to NXT last year and put several of the Black and Gold brand's top stars on notice. Matt Riddle, Keith Lee, Dominik Dijakovic have all felt the wrath of the Beast of Belfast. Though he's been unsuccessful in his title hopes as of late, Dain is still a monster to be feared, as Tehuti Miles learned to
Killian Dain vs Tehuti Miles
Tehuti Miles avoided Killian Dain for a few moments, but the Beast of Belfast would end up catching him with a pump kick to the face, sending him to the floor. Dain decided to punish him outside by bouncing him off the steel steps and barricade.
Back inside, Dain's clubbing blows left Tehuti on his back. A back suplex gave Dain a two-count. Miles would avoid an attack in the corner, giving him a chance to land some strikes on the big man. A roundhouse and a dropkick rocked the Hound of Ulster, but a clothesline would put an end to his offense for the night. After a running senton and a Vader Bomb, Miles was sent packing.
Results: Killian Dain defeated Tehuti Miles via pinfall.
Grade: B
Cameron Grimes recently challenged for the North American Championship. Though he lost against Keith Lee, he put in quite a good showing. If he could rack up some wins again, he may be back in line for the gold soon enough. His opponent tonight was the Premier Athlete, Tony Nese.
Cameron Grimes vs Tony Nese
Nese overpowered Grimes at the start, forcing him into the corner. Grimes attempted to take Nese to the mat, but the former NXT Cruiserweight Champion reversed it, rolling him up in a cradle for two.
Grimes finally took over when he hung Nese up in the ropes with a Stun Gun. A nasty clothesline earned him a two-count. A sunset flip was countered by Nese who cracked Grimes in the nose with a spinning back kick. Another series of strikes left Grimes dazed.
Nese's top rope face wash and the triangle moonsault nearly gave him the win. Grimes rocked him with a Superman Forearm but Nese responded with a superkick. The Running Nese was countered by another Superman Forearm, and Grimes finished Nese with the Cave In.
Results: Cameron Grimes defeated Tony Nese via pinfall.
Grade: B
Several months back, Aliyah faced off against Xia Li. In their contest, Li would break her nose after a devastating kick to the face. Tonight, she returned to NXT for an opportunity at the NXT Women's #1 Contender Ladder Match. Her opponent? Xia Li.
Well...that was the plan. However, Li was found backstage with her knee injured. Aliyah assumed that she was advancing automatically. However, there was another competitor ready for the opportunity...the returning Io Shirai!
Aliyah vs Io Shirai
Shirai started the match with a running dropkick that sent Aliyah into the corner. She pressed her feet against her opponent's face before driving her knees into Aliyah's chest.
Aliyah countered a tiger driver with a neckbreaker, but Shirai would get back on top after countering an arm drag. Following the double underhook backbreaker, Shirai hit her moonsault for the win.
Results: Io Shirai defeated Aliyah via pinfall.
With that, Io Shirai has been added to the ladder match. Chelsea Green, Tegan Nox, and Mia Yim have also advanced, leaving two more spots.
Grade: A
Up next was an interview with the NXT North American Champion Keith Lee. However, just before that we saw a brief vignette of Dexter Loomis, better known as Samuel Shaw, who was a part of the NXT Breakout Tournament.
Lee was asked about what happened after his match against Cameron Grimes a few weeks back. After that bout, Lee was blindsided by Damian Priest, but the Archer of Infamy was chased off by Dominik Dijakovic. Lee never saw who attacked him, though, and since he saw Dijakovic standing in the ring with his title, he assumed it was him. Lee powerbombed him and left him in the ring.
Lee apologized to Dijakovic publically, leading to the big man coming down to confront the champ. He said Lee should know that he'd never attack him from behind. He has more respect for him than that, but that doesn't change what happened.
Before they could get into it, they were interrupted by Damian Priest, who said he has his eyes on the North American Title. He plans on living forever, but in order to do that, he has to win that title. Lee stated that since Priest attacked him, he won't live forever.
Priest pulled out his nightstick, hoping to finish what he started with Lee, but the champ was pushed out of the way so Dijakovic could get his hands on Priest. Lee pushed him back so he could get a few licks in, leading to Lee and Priest taking a plancha from Dijakovic on the outside.
Dijakovic stood tall as both Lee and Priest were laid out on the floor. The North American Title picture looks pretty incredible right about now.
Adam Cole reported in from poolside, stating that he was flustered by Velveteen Dream's chase for his NXT Championship. Though, why should he be? The winner of the first-ever NXT WarGames match, the first North American Champion, longest-reigning NXT Champion in the company's history, he's got all the accolades.
He promised that when it comes to the Vainglorious One, it's Dream Over, as he'll be facing Bobby Fish very soon.
One-Two (Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch) vs Shane Thorne & Brendan Vink
Danny Burch started the match off with Brendan Vink, who sent Burch to his back with ease. Burch had trouble overcoming that power gap, getting manhandled by Vink. Thorne came in and hammered the Guvnor with a series of elbows to the back.
Shane Thorne worked over the arm, but Burch turned the wristlock around and stomped his hand. Oney Lorcan was next to enter the ring and he pelted Thorne with a series of uppercuts and chops. Thorne escaped to his corner where he tagged in Vink, who caught Lorcan running in with a uranage slam. Two-count.
Thorne was back in again, and was immediately leveled by Lorcan. Burch and Vink tagged in and Burch clobbered Vink with some stiff shots before dropping him with a cutter. A crossface trapped the big man on the mat. Lorcan caught Thorne rushing in with a Boston Crab, forcing the double tap.
Results: One-Two defeated Thorne & Vink via submission.
Grade: B+
Candice LeRae vs Kayden Carter
Candice LeRae seemed to be in control at the beginning of the match, but Kayden Carter was able to wrestle her back to a stalemate. Carter rolled LeRae up with a series of pin attempts before leveling her with a boot to the jaw. LeRae continued to kick out.
In the corner, LeRae avoided a body attack before dropping Carter with a snapmare into a rolling neckbreaker. LeRae's step-up senton was avoided, though, as Carter began to pick up some steam. A series of strikes ended with a superkick to the jaw.
In the ropes, a running face wash nearly knocked LeRae out cold. LeRae fought back to her feet and battered Carter with chops and elbows. Carter avoided the Garga-No Escape but was hit with the step-up senton. La Quebrada was avoided as well, but Carter would ultimately get caught in the Garga-No Escape.
Results: Candice LeRae defeated Kayden Carter via submission.
With that, there's only one slot left for the ladder match, which takes place in two weeks.
Matt Riddle vs Roderick Strong
Both Matt Riddle and Roderick Strong went straight to the mat, attempting to get an advantage with their ground game. The two men fought to a stalemate before getting broken up by referee Drake Wuertz.
When it came to the stand up game, Strong overcame Riddle with some nasty kicks and knee strikes before hanging him up on the top rope, dropping him on his sternum as we cut to commercial.
Back from the break, Riddle picked up momentum with a series of forearm smashes and an exploder suplex. Strong countered a Penalty Kick and rolled through for the Strong Hold, but Riddle broke away. Bro 2 Sleep and a bridging German suplex nearly put Strong away.
Strong escaped Broderick and rocked Riddle with another knee before dropping him with the Olympic Slam. Only a two-count. Riddle was set up in the ropes for Strong's running forearm strikes, but he was caught with the Broderick out of nowhere.
Results: Matt Riddle defeated Roderick Strong via pinfall.
Immediately after the match, Riddle was attacked by a new, and terrifying, tag team Rinku Singh and Saurav Gurjar. After he was laid out, Malcolm Bivens came out to reveal he orchestrated the attack when he realized Pete Dunne wasn't here. It looks like the BroSerweights have found their next contenders...whoever they may be.
Next week, Bobby Fish will face Velveteen Dream in hopes of putting the Vainglorious One in his place. All the losers from the previous ladder match qualifiers will also get a shot at redemption in a five-way contest.
Finally, the NXT North American Championship will be defended next week when Keith Lee faces both Dominik Dijakovic and Damian Priest.
Triple H stood in the middle of the ring and went over the historic rivalry between Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano. Before he could get to his point, Ciampa interrupted him. He told Triple H that he should just bring Gargano out to ringside so they can finish this once and for all.
The Game stated that there would be no physicality tonight. When Gargano came out, he claimed that everything was Ciampa's fault and he even tried to get away like a coward when he "dove" through the gym door. Triple H demanded he get in the ring so they could figure everything out.
This feud reminded Triple H of his war with Shawn Michaels back in the day. One day, he believes they'll be able to move on. Still, there needs to be an ending. He claimed that this deserved to end on the Grandest Stage of Them All, but Gargano cut him off, reminding everyone that it should've ended last year, but Ciampa broke his neck.
Ciampa said that this was all about one thing. Who is the face of NXT? Triple H figured that the best way to finish this, and just needed a day to set it up. Gargano said two weeks. With that Triple H revealed that the former best friends would face each other in an empty lot brawl. The two of them will walk in the building, when they find one, and one will walk out. However, if it continues after that, then both Ciampa and Gargano will be gone from NXT and the WWE.
In two weeks, Triple H will send Gargano and Ciampa a location. Until then, they're to stay away from one another.
They were interrupted by another "apocalyptic" vignette, this time revealing the face of Killer Kross.
Segment Rating: A+
Episode Rating: A
Exciting matches, new stars, and a terrifying tease to end the night. NXT is back in form.
